Ryder Cup participants gush about Chicago

Tiger Woods was born in California, and he lives in Florida, but he has a special place in his heart for Chicago.

"I've always loved coming here. I enjoy playing in Chicago and, for some reason, I've just had a lot of success here," he said. "I don't know what it is. But I seem to be very, very comfortable here."

Seven of his Tour victories have come in the area, including the PGA Championship in 1999 and 2006 at Medinah Country Club.

Woods trumpeted that Chicago is a "great sporting town," rattling off the local professional franchises... except the Bears.

"And for us to come in here and be
part of a U.S. Team I think is just going to add to that," he said. "We are going to have
a great atmosphere here, and it's going to be a lot of fun."

U.S. captain Davis Love III said he expects the noise on the first tee Friday to surprise the players.

"Chicago is an incredible sports town, and they are going to
be fired up," Love said. "It's going to be it's an
incredible, big golf course and a big stage, and I think the first tee could be
the loudest any of these guys have ever seen to start off a golf tournament.

"So
I expect a lot of passion."

Jim Furyk noted how European fans have their chants and songs, but he noted, "I know that 37,000 Americans can
drown out 3,000 Europeans if they want to."